


Sunset Swimming

by warnette



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Naboo - Freeform, Swimming, Underwater Kiss, Varykino, anakin swimming, anidala swimming, lake, percy jackson - Freeform, soft anidala
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24218056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warnette/pseuds/warnette
Summary: Padmé coerces Anakin into swimming in the lake together, unbeknownst to her that he is unable to swim.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 5
Kudos: 50





	Sunset Swimming

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic ever on ao3, I’m so sorry if I did the tags wrong or something.
> 
> Credit for this idea/plot goes to: @naberriebaddie and @SHMlSKYWALKER on twitter!!

The sun was starting to set, a soft orange glow spreading across the sky. Anakin and Padme stand at the same spot they had married — what felt like so long ago in the grand scheme of things. Anakin’s arms wrapped around Padmé, the two watching the lake shimmer below them, the reflection of the orange sky mesmerizing the two.

“Oh Anakin, I just had a wonderful idea!” 

“And what would that be my love?” 

“Let’s go swimming, in the lake. We’ve never done it together in all our time here.” 

“I don’t know Padmé..” Anakin was hesitant, he’d grown up without the ability to take a swim any chance he felt — and even if he could he spent most of his life serving others.

“Ani.. please?” 

Anakin felt a slow smile slip onto his lips. He couldn’t say no to her. He tried to suppress the creeping pit of anxiety that was forming in his stomach as he and Padmé headed down the steps of Varykino’s lake retreat. 

“Okay Padmé.” 

The two walk toward the water. Anakin eyed it warily while Padmé smiled excitedly. She was excited to feel the water lap against her skin, the last rays of the sun’s warmth brushing over her cheeks as it mingled with the wind. 

“Look how pretty it is outside today Ani, it’s perfect for a swim. Don’t you love it? The feeling of the water… It’s so nice.” 

Anakin watched Padmé — entranced by her excitement, speechless at her beauty. For the moment his lack of ability to swim had slipped his mind. 

“Come on Ani.” Padmé lets her robe drop to the ground. 

She let’s out a gleeful laugh when she hits the water, her curls soaking around her. Anakin watches her, sitting on the ledge that is above the water. 

“Here goes nothing.” He mutters slowly, lowering himself into the water. The cool feeling that envelopes him in one fluid motion sends a chill through his body. He’s tall enough that his feet hit the bottom of the lake, some of the anxiety leaves his body when he realizes this. 

“Anakin?” Padmé turns, wondering what was taking him so long. She floats a few feet away from him.

“Yes?”

“Are you coming?” She starts to swim away, leaving Anakin staring after her.

He tries not to smile too much but he can’t help the stupid grin that slides onto his face with ease. The sun hit her perfectly, it’s soft glow lighting up Padmé’s face in a way that made her look like she was glowing and in a way she was. She looks back at him with a confused expression that made his heart flutter. Her perfect smile, her lips, her hair. He always preferred when she had her hair down, the soft brown curls framing her face. 

“Anakin come on!” Padmé laughs watching him stand there dumbfounded by her beauty.

“Okay, okay!” He wades toward her, the feeling of his feet leaving the ground shooting a lightning rod of panic through him. 

His toes now barely touch the ground. He stops. Bouncing on his tiptoes to avoid sinking below the water. Each time he bounced his chin submerged underneath the waves. 

“Wait a minute. Anakin?” 

“Yes, darling?” He manages to grumble out.

“You can’t swim can you.” A wide smile creeps onto Padmé’s face. She slowly swam back toward the poor boy who was struggling to stand.

“What? That’s absurd Padmé please, I can swim. Water wouldn’t be my choice of element, but I can swim.” Anakin gave her a faux look of disbelief.

“Mmhm.” She suppresses a giggle. 

He feels frustration building in him. Swimming seemed easy enough. 

“Padmé, I assure you I can swim.” 

“Ani, you can admit it if you can’t. I’m sorry I forgot you didn’t grow up around water.” 

“That doesn’t mean I don’t know how to swim.” 

Padmé reaches Anakin, wrapping an arm around his torso and guiding him slowly toward the deeper area of the lake. Anakin lets her - too busy trying to speak to stop it. 

“Sure, sure.” They swim slowly. Anakin tries to mask his nervousness as excitement but fails when his grip around Padmé tightens slightly.

“Anakin. I’m going to let go of you now. All you need to do is pump your arms and legs to stay upright okay?” 

“What? No.” Anakin snaps his head up from where they were focused on Padmé’s hands. Her gentle touch. He was unbeknownst to how much work it was to keep both her and him upright. His taller and leaner frame caused her to exert much more of herself than she had anticipated. 

“Yes, you’ll be fine Ani. I promise.” 

“No Padmé please.” Panic flashes in his eyes. She let’s out a laugh that momentarily distracted him. The melodious sound is something that he never wants to fade. 

“Why? I thought you could swim.”

“I-I can. I just like.. your.. touch.” Anakin stammers trying to find a plausible excuse.

“Awe Ani, that’s sweet. But it’ll be dark soon so let’s enjoy the last rays of light while we can.” 

Padmé let’s go carefully, knowing full well that the bumbling boy could not swim. She watches him struggle to stay afloat.

“Come on Anakin.” She stays near him, her arms ready at any moment to hold him back up.

“Padmé..” He groans still refusing to admit that he couldn’t swim.

He did as she told him to, kicking his legs and moving his arms - trying to tread water - but he felt like the water was against him.

“Okay let’s try something.” Padmé swam closer to him holding him steady while he continued to push his legs against the water.

“What would that be?” He watches her carefully. The feeling of her gentle hands on his arms releasing some tension from him.

“I’m going to guide you closer to the shallow area of the lake first.” Padmé swims backwards, taking his hands in hers. The two kicked slowly. A burst of dark orange swept the sky as peak golden hour hit. 

When they reached the area where Anakin’s toes brushed the sand beneath his feet they stopped. Padmé waded in front of him. 

“Okay we’re going to go underwater. You can keep your eyes closed but hold your breath.” Padmé smiled as a look of confusion and anxiety flashed across his face.

“You trust me right Ani?” 

“Of course, Padmé.” 

“Then on the count of three.. One. Two. Three.” The two sink under the water. Anakin squeezes his eyes shut. Not knowing what was going to happen next filled him with a small amount of dread.

Padmé forced her eyes open, bubbles escaping her lips when she let out a small laugh. She swam close to Anakin taking him in her arms. He relaxed at the feeling of her.

The sun finally slips away, saying goodbye to the day. A calm blue taking over the sky. A slow breeze wafts through the air. 

Padmé’s lips find Anakin’s. She plants a soft kiss on him. He struggles to kiss back — still inept with water — but manages to find a balance. Her hair floats freely around her, her eyes gently closed and her hands holding Anakin’s face gently. 

As the night settles on Naboo the two rest under their covers as they warm from the evening’s swim. Anakin plays with Padmé’s hair while she listens to the steady best of his heart.

Tomorrow was another day and another chance for her to get Anakin to admit that he did in fact , not know how to swim.


End file.
